Shohei Ohtani looking very comfortable with hitting part of dual role

ANAHEIM, Calif. - After just three games and 14 at-bats as a designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani leads the Angels in batting average and is tied with Mike Trout for the team lead in home runs and RBIs.

The 23-year-old two-way rookie from Japan put himself in that position Wednesday by going 2 for 5 with a two-run home run against reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, in the Angels' 3-2, 13-inning win over the Indians at Angel Stadium.

"At the plate, he's starting to get comfortable," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You can see the big power he has. You can see the bat speed. Corey Kluber is a guy who does not give up a lot of home runs. He's as tough as there is." Kluber, in fact, was third-best in the AL last year with 0.93 homers allowed per nine innings.

Last year for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan's Pacific League, Ohtani hit a career-best .332 in 65 games. The previous season, he amassed career highs of 22 homers and 67 RBIs.

"He has the power to hit the ball out of any ballpark, from corner to corner," Angels first baseman/DH Albert Pujols said. "He's been doing that for his whole career. It's about finding a good balance and a good routine for him. He struggled in spring training, but who cares? Everybody struggles in spring training."

Those struggles, at the plate and on the mound, caused many to wonder whether Ohtani could succeed in the major leagues. Does he believe he has proven his critics wrong?

"I don't have anything to say to those guys," Ohtani said through his translator, Ippei Mizuhara. "I had bad results so I guess they have the right to say bad stuff about me. The season just started and there will be bad days. I just take it day by day, at-bat by at-bat, and try to help the team win."

Ohtani performed his latest heroics in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game. The Indians led 2-0, with Kluber having allowed only a walk in 4 1/3 innings, when Andrelton Simmons bunted down the third-base line for the Angels' first hit.

One out later, Ohtani faced Kluber for the second time. The rookie took an 88 mph cutter inside, fouled off a second cutter at 89 mph, then propelled a 92 mph fastball toward center field. Bradley Zimmer tried to make a one-handed catch but collided with the padded wall, and the ball just cleared the fence.

"I didn't think it was going to go over the fence, just like last night," Ohtani said through Mizuhara, referencing his first major-league home run. "There was a runner at second base and I was just trying to get a base hit. I was trying to keep my swing compact, but it ended up clearing the fence."

Unlike after his first homer Tuesday night, there was no silent treatment for Ohtani as he returned to the dugout. His teammates enthusiastically welcomed him, with Trout taking off Ohtani's batting helmet.

The at-bat was much different than Ohtani's first against Kluber, who struck out the rookie looking on four pitches, the last a 92 mph fastball on the outside corner.

"With Shohei, it's a matter of just seeing some pitchers and growing with it," Scioscia said. "I don't think there were a lot of adjustments. He didn't make any mechanical adjustments between the first and second (at-bats), no."

After grounding out in the eighth against left-hander Andrew Miller, Othani demonstrated in the 10th why Scioscia has confidence in his hitting ability. The rookie worked the count from 1-2 to 3-2 against closer Cody Allen, and then chopped a 93 mph fastball up the middle for his second hit.

"As he goes on, there's a lot more he has to absorb as far as being a hitter in the major leagues, but he has tremendous upside," Scioscia said. "He's ready for the challenge and, hopefully, he'll continue to move forward."